Electrical circuit-closer



(No Model.)

T. W..BRYANT.

BLBGTMGAL CIRCUIT CLOSER.

No. 305,045. f

Patented Sept. 16, 1884.

w? r Wmmlllllm UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

TnoMAs w. BRYANT, CE ANsoNiA, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL Cl RCUlT-CLOSER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,045, dated September 16, 1884.

Application filed April 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom t may 0071.061171,.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS IV. BRYANT, of Ansonia, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new Improvement in Electric Switches; and Ido hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters oi' reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure l, a sideview of the switch; Fig. 2, a longitudinal central section of the same, showing the circuit closed; Fig. 3, a longitudinal central section showing the plug raised to its extreme position in breaking the circuit; Fig. 4., a transverse central. section at right angles to Fig. 2, showing the plug as located in the position of open circuit; Fig. 5, a top view, the plug and cap removed,showing the bed, the wires connected to the contacts and the bearings upon which. the cani works; Fig. 6, the working-face of the cani.

This invention relates to an improvement in the switch for breaking and closing the circuit on a single line, specially adapted to incandescent lighting, the object of the invention being a simple device, whereby in breaking the circuit the arc may be made so great as to insure a positive and complete breaking of the circuit, and the switch locked in either the closed or broken position, and so as to be operated in similar manner as a gas-cock; and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

A represents 'a shell from which is a projection, B, atene end and C at the other end,

similar to a gas-cock-one end threaded female screw and the other male screw. Upon the top ofthe shell a Cap, D, is screwed to close the chamber within the shell. Vithin the shell is an insulatinglbed, E, of hard rubber or similar material. On the top of this bed are two metal plates, a b. These are secured upon the insulating material, and to these, respectively, the wires cl e are attached, as shown, these wires coming through the tubular eX tensions B C on the shell.v In the center of the bed is an inverted conical-shaped recess,

into which a projection, f, from the plate A extends, and a like projection, g, from the plate B, these two projections being of corresponding inverted conical shape, as seen in Figs. 2,

L 3. 4i, and 5, the edges of the proj ections f g stopping short o i the center, so as to leave a space, i, between them to break metallic connection between the two wires d e. These projections f g form contacts for closing'and breaking the circuit.

Through the cap D is a spindle, F, provided with a handle, G. by which the spindle may be readily turned. This spindle extends into the shell. as seen in Fig. 2, and carries at its lower end a metallic cone-shaped plug, H, its conical shape corresponding to that of the surface of the two contacts f g, andlso thatit may set upon those contacts, as seen in Fig. 2,and thereby make metallic connection between the two and close the circuit through the wires d c. The spring I is arranged around the spindle, the action of which is to force the plug H onto the contacts f g to make the metallic connection, as before described. Upon the spindle is a disk, L, oi' non-conducting material, such as hard rubber. It is fixed to the spindle, so as to move up and down with it. The under face of this disk is made of cam shape, as seen in Figs. 3 and 6, there being two deprcsssions, ZZ, diametrically opposite each other, and of equal depth, and two other depressions, m, diametrically opposite each other between the depressions Z, but the depressions m'somewhat less than the depth of the depressions Z. The surface of the cam between the depressions is cnrved,to make the passage into and from the depressions easy.

At diametrically-opposite points on the bed are two studs, n n. These studs project upward toward the cam L, and so that the under face of the cam will ride on the ends of the studs, as seen in Fig. Li.

As represented in Fig. 2, the plug H and the cam Lare in their extreme down or contact position, the deeper depressions, Z, standing over the studs a, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 2. Now, if the cam L be turned, the surface ofthe cani riding upon the studs will cause it to rise as the depressions pass from over the studs into the extreme up position, as seen in Fig.

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gro

3, where the stud is indicated in broken lines, and the highest point of the cani standing thereon. In this position the plug is raisedto its greatest distance from the contacts fg, and so far as to positively break the circuit. Gontinuing the rotation of the cani L, the dep'ressions m will pass onto the studs a, as seen in Fig. 4, leaving` the plug slightlg7 raised above the contaetsfg. The circuit then being in the broken condition, the plug is substantially locked by the studs and depressions in the cani. Vhen it desired to close the circuit, the` earn is returned to bring the deeper depressions Z over the studsa. Then the plug will drop onto the contacts f f/ and close the eircuit.

The handle G of the plug may stand in line with the projections B C ol" the shell in its closed position, as seen in Fig. 2. Then when turned at right angles thereto, as seen in Fig. 4, the circuit will be broken. Thus thchandle (l-willbe an indicator, showing whether the circuit is closed or broken, as may be thehandie of a cock in a water or gas pipe, and because ofthe cani dropping onto the studs at their respective depressions the operator will know when his switch is locked in either position. The rise oi" the plug, due to the cani shape of the disk L, positively insures the breaking ofthe circuit.

The depressions m niay be omitted, leaving the under face ofthe cani plain except toward the depressions l; but in that ease the locking ofthe switch in the open position would not be atained.

I claimi. The combination of the shell A, constructed with openings, into which thelines d @may enter, the insulated bed E in said shell, contaetsf g on said bed, each in connection with its respective line, the plug H,arranged for rotation, and also for vertical. movement toward and from the bed, a spindle extending from said plug through the shell as a means i'or ro tating the plug, a rain, L, iixed to said plug and spindle, the under face oi said cani provided with depressions Z and other depres sions, m, of less extent than the depressions Z, and fixed studs or bearings, upon which said earn will travel in its rotation, and whereby said plug inay drop onto or be raised from said contacts to close or break the circuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination ot' the shell A, the insulating-bed E, contacts f g, :in connection. with the respective lines, the plug H, arranged in the shell for rotative and vertical movement, a spindle extending from said plug through the shell, a cam fixed to said spindle and plug, its under `iace constructed with depressions l, and studs or bearings below, upon which the surface ofthe cani may travel to raise the plug` from the contacts or pci-init it to I'all thereon to break or close the circuit, substantially as described.

3. The combination of theshellA, insulated bed E, contacts ff/ thereon,in connection with the respective lines, a plug, I-l, free for 'vertical and rotative movement,aspindle extending therefrom through the shell, a cani ixed to said spindle and plug, its under face constructed with a recessm'herebyin the rotation ol'said plug and cani the plug Will be raised I'rom the contacts or permitted to drop thereon, as the case may be, with the spring l, arranged to force said plug toward the contacts, but yield for its removal therefrom, substantially described.

TIIOS. lV. BRYANT. lVitn esses:

Gno. H. Hiru'rnr, CHAs. l?. Knorr.

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